Flexible pipe joint



July 4, 1939. is. HERING I FLEXIBLE- PIPE Jam:

Filed Nov. 11; 1937' v-asneets-Sh e t' 1 Inventor Edwurdflgegi zg July 4, 1939.

V E. HERING FLEXIBLE PIPE JOINT Filed Nov. 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jnz/entov" Edward Hemlzg M5017! fi tforjzgy Patented July 4, i939 FLEXIBLE PIPE JOINT Edward Hering, Beverly, N. J assignor to United States Pipe and Foundry Company, Burlington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 1 7, 1937, Serial No. 174,952

2 Claims. (01. 285-431) My invention relates to flexible pipe joints of to avoid direct contact with the outer portion of the ball and socket type and has particularly in the ball and be separated therefrom by the porview the provision of a joint of this type which tion of thegasket which is compressed against will not require such machining or grinding of the ball. It will, of course, be understood that 5 the ball and socket members of the joint as has my joint construction also involves means for 5' heretofore been found necessary and has added drawing and holding the gland into compressive very greatly to the cost of such joints and a contact with the gasket. further object of my invention is to provide a The essential novel feature of the construction construction which willnot only be effective described above lies in that it provides for the without machining or grinding contacting metal holding of the ball in operative contact with the 10 parts but will also permit under certain stresses socket in the belland with a compressible and a limited relatively longitudinal movement of resilient socket formed by the gasket without coupled pipes withoutimpairmentto the tight-' bringing into contact with the outer surface of ness of the joint while at the same time mainthe ball any unyielding and uncompressible metaining pressure on the coupled portions tending tallic surface, thereby making it possible, owing 15 to hold the ball in contact with its socket in the to the yielding and resilient character of the bell and to return it to such contact in case a socket formed by the gasket for the parts to separation occurs. flex even when the contacting surfaces of the My improved joint comprises a bell end of the ball and socket members are not nicely finished 'UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE pipe having in its inner portion a socket seat for as by machining and grinding. 20

the ball end of anothefpipe, said seat having My improved construction will be best underthe form of a segment of a sphere of the same stood as described in connection with the drawdiameter as that of the ball, to be seated thereon ings in which and said bell end being also formed to provide a Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section packing chamber located so as to lie opposite to through my improved joint. 5 the outer portion of the ball member when Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the seated in its socket in the bell. By preference line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the packing chamber terminates in an annular the arrows. I

- shoulder so located as to lie approximately op- Figure 3 is a longitudinal. central sectional posite to the greater diameter of the ball when view of a modification of my joint; 30 inserted in its socket and having its inner edge Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lying comparatively close to the ball. My joint line 4-4 of Fig'. 3, looking in the direction of the further comprises the ball end of a pipe in which arrows.

the ball may be either cast with or secured to Figure 5 isan elevation on a reduced scale the end of the pipe the Surface p on of the showing the construction of the split ring formball which are to contact with the socket in the ing a part of the gland in the construction of bell and with the packing being surfaces of '21 Figs 1 and 2, and

sphere. A further element of my joint consists Figure 6 is a perspective view on a reduced in a Compressible a resilient packing c t d scale showing a modification in the construction 0 in the packing recess in the belland extending of agland adapted for use in Fig. 1. 40 over a portion of the outer surface ofthe ball Referring t th onstruction shown in Figs;

so as to form for said outer portion of the ball a 1, 2, d 5, A indicates the end of a pipe on which compressed and resilient spherical 'socket. A i formed a bell as indicated at B. The outer further element of my fiexible joint is a gland portion of the bell is, as shown, preferab y flared member adapted Contact With e u e po outward to form a'packing chamber as indicated 45 n f h gasket n to mpres a p r n f at B said packing chamber ending at or about it against the Outer Surface of the ball and, by the point at which the greater diameter of a pr f another por n f it s i ball to be inserted in the bell will be located, outer wall of the packing chamber. The inner -c S'Aouider being indicatgd t, and having diametel 0f the gland member in y CQnStYuC- an inner edge indicated at B which will come 5 tion is sufficiently greater than the outer diamfairly close to the surface of the inserted ball etcr of such portions of the pipe and ball as he at its greater diameter; located below this shoulopposite to it in use so as to permit of an angular l.i is a socket B having the form oi a spherical movement of the coupled pipes and the shape of segment of a sphere similar to that formed by 5 the gasket in its inner portions must be such as the contacting surface of the ball. B is an outof-the bell and the end D of the gasket rests in contact with the shoulder BF. r

' face of. the gasket, indicated at D when the" gasket is compressed," should fit I outer portion'of the ball C. As shown, in the i drawings, and by preference, this innerface of wardly extending flange formed at the end or the bell. A is "a pipe on the end of which is formed a ball, indicated at C, having: theconformation of a sphere and'adapted to rest upon the spherical seat 3* and, when so located, to

have its greater diameter in the plane of the,

' shoulder-B D indicates a gasket of compressible and resilient material, such as rubber; the ta-,

I have its outer end 01 somewhats'mallerinternal diameter'than the greater diameter-of the ball so as to require some compression of the 'matepered outer surface'of which,'indicated at D is adapted to rest against the flaring wallj B the gasket in its uncompressed condition should rial of the gasket in forcing it in positionover the ball which is preferably done, before the ball is inserted in thebell and against its: socket,

D indicates the outer or buttend of the gasket.

placed in position on the over-j the ball; ,The gland is formed with acylin- 'drical extension, indicated; at E adapted to 1 enter the mouth of the bell andcontact ,with

' the butt ndD of thegasket. icylindrical extension indicated ably made slightly conical, as shown, and at its inner edge is recessed, as indicated at E to' form a seat for a ring G, the inner periphery G of which is of less diameter than the inner face) of the -gland,- as indicated at E and of-lessv di-: ameter than the'greater diameter of the ball. The facet; of the ring when in place corresponds approximately with the face :Dofthe gland and forms practically a continuation of this conical face of the gland. In the make-up of my joint it is essential that the innerdiameter of the gland E and of the ring G should be sufiiciently greater than that of thepipe A as to permit of the desired angular movement of this pipe A vwith-regard to the pipe A and it is 55' shapes that when the gasket is compressed into contact with the outer surface of the ball. form- 1 j a by sectioning, the ring,

' 7 form, when the ring is of elastic the ring to be sprung over the. ball and located on thegland. I

,1 I As an alternative to the construction shownin Figsl and 2, involving the use of an expansible ofthe essence of my invention that the parts involving my joint should be of such sizes and ing a compressed and resilient socket forthis portion of the ball that no portion of thegland or of the ring formingpart thereof should come "in contact with the ball but should be separated .therefrom by an intervening compressed section of the gasket. I It will -.be obviousthat to' enable the.ring"G' that it should bec'apablel of expansion to enable it to pass over the ball C. This is readily effected.

and, inLthe preferential 1 to be, inserted in the recess E of-the gland E I material a single sectional'cut, as indicated in Fig. 5, will enable ring G, the gland member; may be constructed The inner suragainst the The face ofthe at E is prefer- .is attached to it or, if the p e y ball, with the result in two separable'parts, as indicated in Fig. 6,

In this construction, the

on a reduced scale. gland is made in two parts, as indicated at cc and the inner face e" is made of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the ball 0 and the cylindrical extension of the glandindicated at e is formed without the recess, E of the gland E and so that the end of the cylindrical portion of the gland which contacts with the I gasket will have substantially the form of the end of. the cylindrical portion of the gland E together with the ,contacting surface of the fling G- h I 'In the construction illustratedin Figs. 3 and 4, the end of the pipe A is formed with a shoulder I-I and with a threaded end portion of reduced diameter, as indicated at H and the ball, indica'ted at C is formed with a passage extending through it consisting of a cylindrical section indicated at C of slightly greater diameter than that of the pipe A' merging into a'cylindrical portion C of slightly greater diameter than the connecting said cylindrical portions and being adapted to fitagainsttheshoulder Hon the pipe. This separable ball. is assembled on'theend of the pipe, asindicated in Fig. 3,a'nd issecured thereto .-by' a, nut J, screwing on'the. threaded 'endfH of threaded portion H of the pipe; "A, shoulder C r the'pipe A a washer K being used as shown in v the drawing to l fvent leakage between" theball.

and'thepipe' to which it is attached- The rest of theconstruction indicated in. Figs..3 and 4;

. is essentially similar tolthat shownriu Figs. '1'

and2, except that the gland, here indicated at has its "internal diameter EE smaller than n that of the greater diameter of the balland has the end of its ,c'ylindricalgportion EE formed without the recess E and of, a shape corresponding to that which in the gland E is made'up of V [the cylindrical portion of the gland'and of the surface expansion afforded by the. ringG, this ,being permissible because obviously the gland can beslipped'over the pipe A! before .the ball is: attached to it, although,of course, the'gland 'E of Figs. land 2, with'its'supplementalring G,

can be used with this construction if desired.

In assembling, my joint, the. annular gasket D. which, at least in its inner portion, should preferentiallybe of less internal diameter than the Lgreater diameter of the ball and which, by reason of this elastic compressibility; can be forced over theball, if the construction shown in Figs. 1 and construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is used it should be positionedon the pipe A and this should also be done with the gland or the gland EE, after which in case. the gland E is. used, expanslble ring G should be inserted in the recess E 'I'he'ball is then introduced into the bellB and seated on its spherical se at B4 andthe gasket D is then 2 is used, or .Dlaced on thepipe before theball inserted in the packing recess or chamber .3

with its smaller end D resting on or in proximity to the shoulder. B Theinnerend of the cylindrical portion 7 of-the gland Eand or the ring G, when used, is .thenbrought in contact with the butt end D of the gasket and the gland is then forced inward in the bell as'by means "of the bolts/F compressing'the compressibleandi resilient gasket D both against the wall of the packing chamber and the outer surfaceof the the gasket is bulged out, as indicated in Figs. 1

and 3, having. the form of the outer surface of v the ball and forming a compressed resilient seat that the inner portion er for this portion of the ball and, as I have already pointed out, it is of the essence of my invention that the parts should be of such relative size and structure that no portion of the gland or of its supplemental ring G, when used, should contact with the ball but, on the contrary, should be separated from it bya compressed resilient section of the gasket as illustrated in the drawings. As a result of this construction the ball is held between its seat B} in the bell and a compressed resilient seat formed by the gasket D which resilient seat, by reason of its compressibility, will permit of a turning'r'novement of the ball and, of course, of its connected pipe A even when the surface of the ball and of its seat B in the bell is not nicely machined and ground,\-thus enabling the joint to be constructed at much less cost than is involved where the ball is held between metallic seats contacting with both its inner and outer portions.

The resilient seat formed by the compressed gasket D will also permit of some longitudinal relative movement of the coupled pipes while at the same time constantly exerting pressure tending to seat the ball in its seat in the bell.

It will be obvious that where the walls of the packing chamber B are inwardly tapered as shown and the gasket D formed with a corresponding taper that the tapered wall of the packing chamber in coaction with the pressure exerted by the end portion of the gland E3, which is preferably conical shaped as indicated at E will tend to force the upper portion of the gland inward into contact with the outer surface of the ball and permit the formation of the compressed resilient seat formed by the gasket over the outer surface of the ball.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: c

l. A flexible pipe joint of the bal l and socket type comprising a bell having at its inner portion a socket in the'form of a spherical segment to receive the end of the ball when inserted in the bell, said bell also having a packing chamber located to surround the outer portion of the ball, 'when said ball is in contact with the socket in the bell, a ball*"member located at the end of a pipe in contact with the spherical seat formed in the bell and held resiliently in said.

contact by a gasket of compressed resilient material located in the packing chamber of the bell and extending over the outer surface of the ball to a sufiicient extent to form a resilient socket for said outer surface of the ball operative to hold said ball in contact with the socket located in the bell with resilient pressure, said compressed resilient gasket constituting under normal conditions the sole contacting element for the outer surface of the ball, a gland member contacting with the outer end portion of the gasket and adapted to compress and hold said gasket in compressed condition, the inner portion of which is of such diameter and shape as to be spaced from the ball and separated therefrom by a portion of the compressed resilient gasket and also of such internal diameter as will permit of the desired angular movement of the ball in its socket before contacting with the pipe to which the ball is attached and means for drawing and holding the gland to gasket compressing position.

2. A flexible pipe joint as called for in claim 1, in which the outer wall of the packing chamber is tapered inwardly and the gasket formed with a corresponding external taper.

EDWARD HERING. 

